hi I’m vess
Vanessa Bong (Vess) is an Asian Australian surface pattern designer and illustrator based in Melbourne Australia.
I love to create artwork with hand painted motifs and working with brands to see their products come to life. I’ve worked across many industries and my work has been applied to apparel, paper goods, accessories, public art, packaging and branding within Australia and internationally.
about vess
Vanessa Bong (Vess) is an Asian Australian textile designer and illustrator based in Melbourne Australia. Having worked as a graphic designer for a number of years, she was drawn to the world of surface pattern design and begun a journey of discovery. After some travels, workshops, learnings and a multitude of patterns later, she was able to establish herself as a surface pattern designer and saw her work applied to apparal and womenswear.
In addition to her commercial work, she has hosted watercolour workshops to share her craft and spoken at numerous design events. She has created artwork for the public space within the City of Melbourne and in 2023 held her first solo exhibition exploring her identity as an Asian Australian.
She’s been so grateful to have worked with some wonderful people to see their projects come to life and would love to hear about your next project as well.
“The act of creating something of beauty is a way of bringing good into the world. Infused with optimism, it says simply: Life is worthwhile”
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
Vess’s work is whimsical, full of life and delight. Specialising in painterly strokes, she creates pieces that filled with charm and have an organic nature to them. Her approach to illustration is to create art that is eye catching, delightful and brings joy into your home. Her work is often playful, sweet and humorous. She believes that design can be an extension of one’s own life and endeavours to create artwork with love.
Education
Paris School of Art Experimental Drawing Course, 2018
Monash University Bachelor of Design, 2011
Talks, Features & Exhibitions
Banana, Solo Exhibition, Boroondara Town Hall, 2023
Pattern Pulse Book by Rachael King, 2022
Locker Room Talk, Group Exhibition, 2021
Water the Exhibition, Group Exhibition, 2021
Uoo Uoo Artist, Royal Children’s Hospital, 2020
Guest Speaker, First Five Out, AGDA Student Council, 2015, 2018
Another World, Group Exhibition, 2016
Mali in the City Artist, Melbourne Zoo, 2012
Clients and Collaborations
Kingdom Ethitical Fashion
Metta Play
Meals with Impact
ODO
Officeworks
One Eco Step
Princess Highway
Thankyou
Smash (Work for Coles, David Jones, Woolworths)
Red Hong Yi Studio (Facebook, MIT, Uniqlo)
Wilson & Frenchy
Want to work together?
Vess helped bring my brand, Metta Play, to life. From the get go, she was able to capture the spirit of what I was looking for - joy and play. She cares about the work and the human behind it. Vess is incredibly collaborative and thorough. She is also such a delight to be around. I cannot recommend her enough!!!
Via T
- Metta Play